The present invention relates to an apparatus for the calibration and/or testing of measuring instruments. Various optical measuring instruments are known from the prior art. The invention relates in particular to a measuring instrument for the investigation of characteristics of surfaces. In addition, instruments of this type have long been known from the prior art. In this case it is known, in particular, for a suitable measuring instrument to be guided over a surface to be investigated and for this surface to be illuminated in this case and for information to be gathered from the radiation reflected or scattered respectively.
In this case it is necessary, however, for these measuring instruments to be newly calibrated from time to time. For this purpose calibration appliances or standards respectively are known from the prior art. These calibration appliances usually have in this case a carrier along which the measuring instrument can be guided, in which case it illuminates a calibration body. Information can be gathered from the radiation thrown back or reflected respectively or scattered accordingly by the calibration body, and calibration or adjustments respectively can be carried out again on the basis of this information. In this case these calibration appliances are frequently subjected to relatively rough handling. In part these calibration appliances are soiled and are cleaned with abrasive cleaning agents. In addition, a change in the respective calibration bodies frequently occurs as a result of ageing processes. In this way, after a certain amount of time they are no longer capable of being used for the purpose intended for them.
The object of the present invention is therefore to improve the resistance and preferably also the durability of calibration appliances of this type.